Another chunk of government money is going to Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, this time to fund the charities so that they can provide support for Universal Credit claimants.

The scheme will begin in April 2019, with an emphasis on digital support and managing a budget.

Both are undoubtedly needed. A fifth of applications fall at the first hurdle, failing to follow the procedure correctly. But given that an astonishing 82% of cases are overturned at Tribunal, you might think that other areas of advice – such as how to appeal – could be usefully pursued.

We are now in the middle of Backcare Awareness Week. People working in the care sector and family carers are notoriously prone to back problems, with manual handling activities cited as a major factor.

Try and protect your back! A bit of forethought, and use of appropriate equipment both make injury less likely.

To put you on the right track, we have various resources on Independent Living:

A new report is published this week by the Centre for Ageing Better and Care and Repair, highlighting the acute need for homes to meet their occupants’ access requirements, and what councils and service providers are doing about it.

This is the counterpart to last week’s article about the need to build more accessible homes. More than 90% of people aged over 65 live in “normal” housing, rather than retirement schemes or sheltered housing. The majority want to carry on doing just that – but they need some help, to continue living independently in their own home for as long as possible.

One increasingly popular step homeowners are taking in order to “future-proof” their property is installing a home lift.

A neat solution to travelling between floors without using the stairs, they can be a positive financial enhancement to the home, as well as a convenience even for people who don’t have mobility issues. No more lugging heavy suitcases or bags of laundry up and down, for example.

Our newest site subscriber, Homelift Experts, can offer three distinct ranges of lifts, including one that is suitable for properties with more than two storeys.

We have recently updated the Independent Living section on accessible showers.

If you are considering replacing your bath with an easy-to-use shower, or you intend to start from scratch with a complete shower facility, you can see some of the options available and check out the various factors you need to consider.

If you are reading a copy of the Independent Living newsletter that has been passed on to you by a colleague or friend, why not sign up for your own free subscription – it’s quick and easy, and won’t lead to your inbox being bombarded with other stuff!